Bethel Park inducts six into Hall of Fame
Nick Kwiatkoski spoke for the Class of 2025 when the former NFL linebacker described the Bethel Park athletic Hall of Fame ceremony as a “full circle moment.”
“Everything started at Bethel Park for me and to be back here now, everything’s come full circle,” said Kwiatkoski, who recently retired from the NFL after playing for four different clubs since 2016.
Fellow inductees Tracy Pfister (Class of 1983) and Nino Bonaccorsi (Class of 2017) agreed.
“Being nominated for the Bethel Park Athletic Hall of Fame is a reminder of how fortunate I’ve been to be part of something bigger than myself,” said Pfister, a champion swimmer. “I am honored. I am grateful, and I’m proud to forever be a Black Hawk.
“Bethel Park has always been more than a place where I competed. It provided the foundation where I learned how to work, how to lead, how to push through moments, when giving up would have been easier. The lessons I learned on the swimming team and in the swimming pool, stay with me long after the final whistle and touchpad.”
Speaking during the Jan. 23 ceremony in the high school’s LGI room, Bonaccorsi noted how his rise in the ranks from wrestling champion to officer in the Allegheny County Police Department was grounded in Bethel Park.
“Honestly, it all started in these hallways,” said the NCAA Division I champion.
“Just coming to school here, they really prepare you for life, whatever that may be. I always felt I was already a step ahead just because of the education here.”
Bonaccorsi, a two-time PIAA runner-up and WPIAL champion, looked around the room of supporters from family and friends to school administrators and former educators. He acknowledged his and the other inductees’ success relied on those contributions.
Pfister recalled knowing Bonaccorsi since he was a 6-year-old in a patriotic singlet.
“He was special back then,” she noted. “When Tony (Fisher, the evening’s emcee) read the accomplishments of all the athletes, you realize how tremendous an honor this is and how special this place is.”
Pfister led Bethel Park to three WPIAL team titles, one runner-up crown and a PIAA runner-up trophy. She was a multi-medalist during four years of competition at the district and state level, including gaining gold while setting new timing standards.
The 1983 Bethel Park High School Female Athlete of the Year earned a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh. As a Lady Panther, she earned All-America and All-Big East acclaim and advanced to the NCAA Division I championships.
Pfister resides in the Northeast region of the state but her two children, Sean and Shannon, live in the area, Green Tree and Robinson respectively.
Kwiatkoski has done plenty of soul searching since retiring from football.
After helping Bethel Park win its only WPIAL title in 2008 and reach the PIAA finals, the 6-foot-2-inch, 242-pound linebacker went on to enjoy an All-America career at West Virginia University. He played in the Pinstripe, Liberty and Cactus Bowls before competing in the 2016 Senior Bowl, attracting the attention of NFL scouts.
After being selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Kwiatkoski played in the league for seven seasons, including stints with the Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Now is a great time to look back, reminisce and reflect on the journey,” Kwiatkoski said. “There’s been a ton of highlights.”
Kwiatkoski, who will turn 33 in May, rated his playing days at Bethel Park and WVU on par with playing in the NFL. He recalled being drafted and stepping onto the field for his first professional game as well as competing in playoff games with the hopes of playing for a Super Bowl.
“One of my dreams was to get drafted and play in the NFL. To be able to live out a dream is a true highlight but what sticks out most is the little things: the people I’ve met along the way and the people, especially my family and supporters, who have been with me the whole way.”
Bethel Park is meaningful to Kwiatkoski because his family still lives there and his football team was his closest non-relative. Kwiatkoski is so passionate about the Black Hawks that he donated money to fund a total refurbishing of the team’s locker room.
“For me, Bethel Park set a foundation for me to go on, be a student athlete, and play in the NFL,” said Kwiatkoski. “That all started here.”
Now living in Las Vegas, Kwiatkoski is contemplating the future beyond the NFL.
“As far as knowing what I want to do, I don’t. It’s like being back here in school,” he said with a laugh. “It’s back to square one.”
Meanwhile Jeff and Levi Metheny find themselves at the finish line regarding their athletic endeavors at Bethel Park High School. Together, the father-son tandem brought glory to the Black Hawks football program.
Jeff is the winningest coach in the school’s football history with 164 victories. He coached the Black Hawks to five conference championships and the school’s only WPIAL title in 2008. Bethel Park was PIAA runner-up that season, falling in overtime in the state final.
Levi started at quarterback for his father for four years from 2012-2015 and also played basketball during that term, starting for three seasons. He threw for 4,862 career yards and 45 touchdowns while also rushing for 1,000 yards.
Levi played at the University of Albany and earned a degree in business management. He earned a master’s in business administration while using his last year of college eligibility playing for Murray State. He earned all-conference laurels as a linebacker.
After college he worked in sales for Dow Jones. After a time in New York City, he has relocated to Morgantown and plans to wed his fiancee, Andrea, in July.
“New York City was a cool and fun place. A lot of hustle and bustle,” he said. “But it’s good to be settling down.”
Levi and Jeff both found it difficult to rein in their emotions during the induction ceremony. Each choked up delivering their acceptance speeches.
“I grew up here, walked the halls of this school and played football for my father and could talk to him every day,” Levi said. “Being able to end up like this; getting inducted into the Hall of Fame next to my dad and my coach, well, you couldn’t have written a better script than this.”
Jeff was equally astonished.
“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “I mean, Levi was a great player here and had a tremendous college career but just those days that we were together, at least for me, maybe not for him, were wonderful.
Jeff is retired from coaching and he and his wife Cindy still reside in Bethel Park.
“I hope that what all my players have learned from me is just that everything’s not perfect in life. A lot of days are gonna be hard. With hard work, a lot of belief and a lot of teamwork, you can get through most anything.”
Levi relies on that philosophy.
“While I might not be playing anymore, my job requires the same mentality I had on the football field and in the athletic arena. In the workplace and in life, it takes hard work, belief and teamwork to get anything accomplished.”
Anthony Caruso applauded those principles. During his acceptance speech, he thanked all his coaches, teammates, parents, wife and family for the roles they played in his soccer career.
He gained induction into the Bethel Park athletic Hall Of Fame for leading the Black Hawks to back-to-back WPIAL championships and two section banners. He scored 66 goals and dished up 30 assists in her scholastic career before going on to excel at Duquesne University.
Caruso said his supporters “provided a positive influence on him” and he noted how sports can influence one’s life. “Even though they require countless hours of practice and sacrifice,” he said.
In addition to the 2025 inductees, Patricia Barnitz was honored posthumously with the Distinguished Contribution Award by the Hall of Fame committee. She was recognized for founding the Bethel Park girls volleyball program in 1970. She also was instrumental in helping the basketball program gain its footing.